Wine For Your Reading PleasureUsing Bargain Wines to Your Advantage
Using bargain wines is often preferable for occasions when it would be unwise to to invest a large amount of money in expensive wine.
Do you really want to use top-notch red wine for making sangria or for serving up at parties, when friends have already had enough to drink? No, I didn't think so!
Drinking Bargain Wines
Blended wine is usually cheaper and a reasonable bet in terms of drinkability. As a general rule, Chilean blends are the cheapest option, although it's often worth paying that little bit extra for Australian blends. In fact, a number of Australian producers market two excellent blends at the lower end of the price spectrum, one white and one red. The red is a blend of cabernet sauvignon and shiraz and the white consists of semillon and chardonnay. Keep an eye out for these grape combinations, if you're after a bargain!
Another winner at the cheaper end of the market is Spanish Rioja (both red and white). As Rioja is usually less fruity than the previously mentioned blends it is generally better for serving with food, rather than drinking on its own.
Other Uses of Bargain Wines
Sangria
If you're making sangria, you need red quaffing wine - and lots of it. As sangria is made from red wine, sugar, fruit juice and spirits, the quality of the red wine becomes largely secondary. This is where boxed wines come into their own. Buy large boxes that are relatively cheap - no one will notice! Be sure to purchase reasonable quality fruit juice and don't go for the absolute cheapest wine as you may live to regret it, the following morning!
Large Parties and Receptions
When serving wine to a large party, cost is obviously important. As a rule, boxed whites are generally more palatable than boxed reds, so if want to trim costs, anywhere, buying cheaper white wine may be a safer option.
A great way to improve boxed red wine is to add a reasonable quality bottle of red wine. Provided that you choose the correct bottle of red, this can make an impressive difference to the taste. Of course, you do need some suitable decanters or serving carafes and a little patience to pull this one off, successfully.
Finally, choose your nibbles wisely. Plain potato chips will do little to help you disguise a poor wine. Instead opt for a selection of cheeses, as they will enhance the flavor of even the cheapest of wines.
About The Author
Since Neil Best first pondered the question, Who made the first wine anyway? he's been recording his findings at http://www.goodglug.com Find about your favorite wine regions, wine recipes, and speciality wines along with how it's made and how best to store it for maximum enjoyment neilbest@rocketmail.com
A Short Wine Summary
Using Bargain Wines to Your Advantage
Using bargain wines is often preferable for occasions when it would be unwise to to invest a large amount of money in expensive wine. Do you really wa...
Click Here to Read More About Wine ...
Recommended Wine Items
Le Tourmentin Valais
 Tourmentin is an original blend developed by the Rouvinez cellars. Four kinds of grapes (Pinot noir, humagne rouge, cornalin, syrah) contribute to this firmly structured red wine with its rare aromatic richness. It is matured in casks for one year. It is deep garnet with inky reflections; it has perfumes of spices, vanilla, preserved cherry and very ripe plum; it is rich in the mouth, discretely wooded with spicy (cloves) and fruity (blackcurrant) hints supported by beautiful tannins; a very harmonious blend. Gold medalist at a prestigious Paris Concour 'International Vinalies 2003'. Serve chilled. SRTRK7NV SRTRK7NV
Price: 48.95 USD
News about Wine
Earthquake-Proof a Wine Cellar (Wired News)
Thu, 21 Aug 2008 18:23:14 PDT
A good Napa wine is priceless, but a Napa earthquake can potentially crush your wine collection like a grape. The nature of storing glass bottles suggests natural disaster undertones. It's an oenophiliac's nightmare. With a little DIY preparation, you can prevent a disaster by earthquake-proofing your wine cellar.
Weight Watchers recipes
Thu, 21 Aug 2008 17:39:07 PDT
Several people have emailed me to ask how I manage to do Weight Watchers while cooking for my 3 boys. Okay. I may be doing WW, but I still eat normal food. And I cook ONE meal for my family at dinner time. Eating healthily doesn’t mean you have to eat grilled fish & salad every night - you CAN eat the same food as the rest of your family. Even just making small adjustments to the whole dish can reduce the fat content and make it “Weight Watchers friendly”. I have a couple of great WW co
Notes on the child-free night experiment
Thu, 21 Aug 2008 14:05:00 PDT
I know - I am not meant to be here until Sunday, but my goodness the morning is long without a lunch box to prepare and a girl to whip along - and I have to tell you about our child-free night (and day) - well not everything, but the most important bit! So - where was I - dropped off child, anticipating, quick blog post, set for meeting mother for lunch. V also had a day off, due to an aversion from taking the food from the apprentice's mounth (actually, told the boss he would let him and the
The WineRack
Thu, 21 Aug 2008 12:40:37 PDT
You can hold on to your technological breakthroughs and advances in medical science; when a product involves boobs and booze, we all stand up and listen! Ladies and gentlemen introducing the WineRack™.
Oregon — that enchanting (and sometimes forgotten) land (The Nassau Guardian)
Thu, 21 Aug 2008 11:18:45 PDT
If California is king of the wine kingdom, Oregon then, must surely be the handsome prince! Oregon seems to be a Shangri La ... or a land of the lost to most. Display an unmarked map and ask someone to point out California — no problem.
Asimov on Napa Cab
Thu, 21 Aug 2008 06:58:24 PDT
Let’s give a shout-out for Eric Asimov, whose column in yesterday’s New York Times (and the post on his blog “The Pour”) are among the most important commentaries he has done. The point is that on a recent trip to the Napa Valley, Asimov discovered or became reacquainted with a number of wineries that still make cabernet sauvignon wines in the “old-fashioned” style of balance and restraint, subtlety and nuance. These qualities stand in contrast to the current fashion of super-ripe, jammy win
Five Greek Recipes You'll Enjoy
Thu, 21 Aug 2008 05:28:48 PDT
Lagana: Greek Lenten Bread Ingredients All-purpose flour 4 cups Vegetable or olive oil 1/2 cup Dry yeast 2 teaspoons Salt 1/2 teaspoon Water Sesame seeds Method: Preheat the oven to 355 ºF (180 ºC). Sprinkle the yeast in 1 cup of warm water. Leave it for 30 minutes until it foams. In a large bowl, add the yeast-water mix, the oil, and flour, and mix with a wooden spoon until blended. On a floured surface, knead the dough until it no longer sticks to your hands and is sof
Australian Shiraz
Wine History | Wine Holder
Labels: Champagne Bottles | Champagne Wine
&type=page"> 
  
Posted by Bill Jackson |
|
